I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to identification codes for terminal devices connected to a data network. More particularly, the present invention relates to the generation of electronic identifiers which are assigned to network terminal devices and which can be used for monitoring access to network services.
II. Description of the Related Art
There is presently an epidemic in the communications industry involving theft of services. Such problem is particularly prevalent throughout the subscriber television industry wherein encrypted information or data (e.g. pay programming) is typically transmitted to subscribers' homes, only some of which are authorized to decrypt the information. The data is transmitted via cable or satellite and is received by an interface unit such as a set-top box connected to a television, or VCR, or computer which, for authorized subscribers, is programmed or configured to decrypt the received information.
The problem with such a system is that the interface units that receive and decrypt the transmitted data are frequently stolen, electronically manipulated or pirated, thereby enabling non-paying customers to obtain access to the transmitted data. As can be appreciated, such activity results in substantial lost revenues to the data providers, such as the subscriber television industry.
In response to the piracy and manipulation of decrypting devices such as set-top boxes which result in widespread theft of services, several techniques have been developed for terminating the ongoing reception and decryption of data by unauthorized users. Such techniques typically involve transmission of a high voltage signal over the transmission medium which, when received by the pirated devices, renders such devices inoperable. The problem with such techniques is that they do not sufficiently deter theft and manipulation of the interface units because the encrypted data will be accessible by the unauthorized users for at least a period of time i.e. until the unauthorized devices are rendered inoperable. Moreover, such techniques do not identify the location of the unauthorized interface units.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for providing unique electronic identifiers to network terminal devices to facilitate monitoring of network services and to curtail theft of services and piracy of network interface units.